September 23, 2009

 

     A small lakeside community is rocked by the murder of one of their neighbors and the victim's son is behind bars.
     Cayuga Heights Police found 53-year-old Carol Butler's body at her home on 522 Cayuga Heights road, after they responded to a 9-1-1 call early Wednesday morning.
     Police say her son, 29-year-old Ian Butler beat her to death.
     He’s now facing second degree murder charges.
     At Butler’s first arraignment Wednesday afternoon, he claimed he was hallucinating.
     That's when the judge adjourned the court and called for another arraignment.
     Wednesday night, the judge granted Butler's request for a psychiatric evaluation before moving forward with the case.
     For his second arraignment, Butler was escorted into Cayuga Heights Village court, hands and feet cuffed, wearing a bullet-proof vest.
     Butler spoke only to his attorney, Scott Miller, who told the judge his client lacked the mental capacity to understand the proceedings.
     Miller told the judge he spoke with Butler's family members, who say Butler has a history of mental illness.
     “Apparently, at least three times a year, he has some type of psychotic break,” said Defense Attorney, Scott Miller.  “We think he was experiencing some type of psychotic episode during these alleged incidences.”
     Miller also says the family told him just twelve hours before he allegedly beat his mother to death, she took him to Cayuga Medical Center to have him admitted to the psychiatric unit.
     “I myself know nothing about mental health history not saying its not there, but we need to be careful to keep open mind,” said District Attorney, Gwen Wilkinson.
     Butler's lawyer tells WENY-TV News, he thinks Butler was still hallucinating in court Wednesday evening.
     Butler will have a psychiatric evaluation and will be back in court next month.